Trump promises to turn Washington upside down. He's being welcomed back anyway

WASHINGTON (AP) — The fireplace was crackling in the Oval Office on Wednesday morning as President Joe Biden shook hands with Donald Trump and congratulated him on his election victory.

“Welcome back,” Biden told Trump, who said the transition “would be as smooth as it can get.”

It was a cordial exchange that was jarringly at odds with the strangeness of the political moment. Here was Biden, who once made it his mission to prevent his predecessor from becoming his successor, preparing to hand over power to Trump, who never conceded his defeat to Biden four years ago.

But official Washington, which still feels the aftershocks of Trump’s chaotic first term, appeared resigned to the potential earthquake of his second. There were no protests on the streets and no surprises during the past-and-future president’s nearly four-hour visit.